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Coluzzi F, Scerpa MS, Loffredo C, Borro M, Pergolizzi JV, LeQuang JA, Alessandri E, Simmaco M, Rocco M. Opioid Use and Gut Dysbiosis in Cancer Pain Patients. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:7999. [PMID: 39063241 PMCID: PMC11276997 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25147999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2024] [Revised: 07/11/2024] [Accepted: 07/18/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Opioids are commonly used for the management of severe chronic cancer pain. Their well-known pharmacological effects on the gastrointestinal system, particularly opioid-induced constipation (OIC), are the most common limiting factors in the optimization of analgesia, and have led to the wide use of laxatives and/or peripherally acting mu-opioid receptor antagonists (PAMORAs). A growing interest has been recently recorded in the possible effects of opioid treatment on the gut microbiota. Preclinical and clinical data, as presented in this review, showed that alterations of the gut microbiota play a role in modulating opioid-mediated analgesia and tolerability, including constipation. Moreover, due to the bidirectional crosstalk between gut bacteria and the central nervous system, gut dysbiosis may be crucial in modulating opioid reward and addictive behavior. The microbiota may also modulate pain regulation and tolerance, by activating microglial cells and inducing the release of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, which sustain neuroinflammation. In the subset of cancer patients, the clinical meaning of opioid-induced gut dysbiosis, particularly its possible interference with the efficacy of chemotherapy and immunotherapy, is still unclear. Gut dysbiosis could be a new target for treatment in cancer patients. Restoring the physiological amount of specific gut bacteria may represent a promising therapeutic option for managing gastrointestinal symptoms and optimizing analgesia for cancer patients using opioids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Flaminia Coluzzi
- Department of Medical-Surgical Sciences and Translational Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, 00189 Rome, Italy
- Unit of Anaesthesia, Intensive Care, and Pain Medicine, Sant’Andrea University Hospital, 00189 Rome, Italy
| | - Maria Sole Scerpa
- Unit of Anaesthesia, Intensive Care, and Pain Medicine, Sant’Andrea University Hospital, 00189 Rome, Italy
| | - Chiara Loffredo
- Unit of Anaesthesia, Intensive Care, and Pain Medicine, Sant’Andrea University Hospital, 00189 Rome, Italy
| | - Marina Borro
- Department of Neuroscience, Mental Health and Sense Organs NESMOS, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | | | | | - Elisa Alessandri
- Unit of Anaesthesia, Intensive Care, and Pain Medicine, Sant’Andrea University Hospital, 00189 Rome, Italy
| | - Maurizio Simmaco
- Unit of Anaesthesia, Intensive Care, and Pain Medicine, Sant’Andrea University Hospital, 00189 Rome, Italy
- Department of Neuroscience, Mental Health and Sense Organs NESMOS, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Monica Rocco
- Department of Medical-Surgical Sciences and Translational Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, 00189 Rome, Italy
- Unit of Anaesthesia, Intensive Care, and Pain Medicine, Sant’Andrea University Hospital, 00189 Rome, Italy
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2
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Gong Z, Xue Q, Luo Y, Yu B, Hua B, Liu Z. The interplay between the microbiota and opioid in the treatment of neuropathic pain. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1390046. [PMID: 38919504 PMCID: PMC11197152 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1390046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Neuropathic pain (NP) is characterized by its complex and multifactorial nature and limited responses to opioid therapy; NP is associated with risks of drug resistance, addiction, difficulty in treatment cessation, and psychological disorders. Emerging research on gut microbiota and their metabolites has demonstrated their effectiveness in alleviating NP and augmenting opioid-based pain management, concurrently mitigating the adverse effects of opioids. This review addresses the following key points: (1) the current advances in gut microbiota research and the challenges in using opioids to treat NP, (2) the reciprocal effects and benefits of gut microbiota on NP, and (3) the interaction between opioids with gut microbiota, as well as the benefits of gut microbiota in opioid-based treatment of NP. Through various intricate mechanisms, gut microbiota influences the onset and progression of NP, ultimately enhancing the efficacy of opioids in the management of NP. These insights pave the way for further pragmatic clinical research, ultimately enhancing the efficacy of opioid-based pain management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zexiong Gong
- Department of Anesthesiology, Health Science Center, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital/The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Qingsheng Xue
- Department of Anesthesiology, School of Medicine, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yan Luo
- Department of Anesthesiology, School of Medicine, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Buwei Yu
- Department of Anesthesiology, School of Medicine, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Bo Hua
- Department of Anesthesiology, Health Science Center, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital/The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Zhiheng Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Health Science Center, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital/The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
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3
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Madurai NK, Jantzie LL, Yen E. Sex differences in neonatal outcomes following prenatal opioid exposure. Front Pediatr 2024; 12:1357970. [PMID: 38577634 PMCID: PMC10991792 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2024.1357970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024] Open
Abstract
The impact of the opioid epidemic on pregnant people and children is a growing public health crisis. Understanding how opioids affect the developing brain during pregnancy and postnatally remains a critical area of investigation. Biological sex plays a crucial role in all physiologic processes, with the potential for a significant impact on neonatal outcomes, including those infants with opioid exposure. Here, we aim to explore current literature on the effect of sex on neonatal outcomes following prenatal opioid exposure. Sex differences in adults with opioid use disorder have been well studied, including increased mortality among males and higher rates of psychiatric comorbidities and likelihood of relapse in females. However, such differences are not yet well understood in neonates. Emerging clinical data suggest sex-specific effects in infants with prenatal opioid exposure on the expression of genes related to feeding regulation and reward signaling pathways. Increased susceptibility to white matter injury has also been noted in female infants following prenatal opioid exposure. Understanding the impact of sex as a biological variable on neonatal outcomes following prenatal opioid exposure is paramount to improving the health and well-being of infants, children, and adults impacted by the opioid epidemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nethra K. Madurai
- Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Lauren L. Jantzie
- Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
- Department of Neurodevelopmental Medicine, Phelps Center for Cerebral Palsy and Neurodevelopmental Medicine, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, United States
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
- Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Elizabeth Yen
- Mother Infant Research Institute (MIRI), Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA, United States
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Tufts Medicine Pediatrics-Boston Children's, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
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4
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Greenberg JM, Winters AD, Zagorac B, Kracht DJ, Francescutti DM, Cannella N, Ciccocioppo R, Woods LCS, Mackle J, Hardiman GT, Kuhn BN, Kalivas PW, Kuhn DM, Angoa-Perez M. Long access heroin self-administration significantly alters gut microbiome composition and structure. Front Psychiatry 2024; 15:1369783. [PMID: 38476614 PMCID: PMC10927763 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1369783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction It is well known that chronic opioid use disorder is associated with alterations in gastrointestinal (GI) function that include constipation, reduced motility, and increased bacterial translocation due to compromised gut barrier function. These signs of disrupted GI function can be associated with alterations in the gut microbiome. However, it is not known if long-access opioid self-administration has effects on the gut microbiome. Methods We used 16S rRNA gene sequencing to investigate the gut microbiome in three independent cohorts (N=40 for each) of NIH heterogeneous stock rats before onset of long-access heroin self-administration (i.e., naïve status), at the end of a 15-day period of self-administration, and after post-extinction reinstatement. Measures of microbial α- and β-diversity were evaluated for all phases. High-dimensional class comparisons were carried out with MaAsLin2. PICRUSt2 was used for predicting functional pathways impacted by heroin based on marker gene sequences. Results Community α-diversity was not altered by heroin at any of the three phases by comparison to saline-yoked controls. Analyses of β-diversity showed that the heroin and saline-yoked groups clustered significantly apart from each other using the Bray-Curtis (community structure) index. Heroin caused significant alterations at the ASV level at the self-administration and extinction phases. At the phylum level, the relative abundance of Firmicutes was increased at the self-administration phase. Deferribacteres was decreased in heroin whereas Patescibacteria was increased in heroin at the extinction phase. Potential biomarkers for heroin emerged from the MaAsLin2 analysis. Bacterial metabolomic pathways relating to degradation of carboxylic acids, nucleotides, nucleosides, carbohydrates, and glycogen were increased by heroin while pathways relating to biosynthesis of vitamins, propionic acid, fatty acids, and lipids were decreased. Discussion These findings support the view that long access heroin self-administration significantly alters the structure of the gut microbiome by comparison to saline-yoked controls. Inferred metabolic pathway alterations suggest the development of a microbial imbalance favoring gut inflammation and energy expenditure. Potential microbial biomarkers and related functional pathways likely invoked by heroin self-administration could be targets for therapeutic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan M. Greenberg
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, United States
- John D. Dingell Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center, Detroit, MI, United States
| | - Andrew D. Winters
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, United States
- John D. Dingell Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center, Detroit, MI, United States
| | - Branislava Zagorac
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, United States
| | - David J. Kracht
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, United States
- John D. Dingell Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center, Detroit, MI, United States
| | - Dina M. Francescutti
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, United States
- John D. Dingell Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center, Detroit, MI, United States
| | - Nazzareno Cannella
- Pharmacology Unit, School of Pharmacy, Center for Neuroscience, University of Camerino, Camerino, Italy
| | - Roberto Ciccocioppo
- Pharmacology Unit, School of Pharmacy, Center for Neuroscience, University of Camerino, Camerino, Italy
| | - Leah C. Solberg Woods
- Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, United States
| | - James Mackle
- School of Biological Sciences and Institute for Global Food Security, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, United Kingdom
| | - Gary T. Hardiman
- School of Biological Sciences and Institute for Global Food Security, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, United Kingdom
| | - Brittany N. Kuhn
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States
| | - Peter W. Kalivas
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States
| | - Donald M. Kuhn
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, United States
- John D. Dingell Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center, Detroit, MI, United States
| | - Mariana Angoa-Perez
- John D. Dingell Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center, Detroit, MI, United States
- Department of Physiology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, United States
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5
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Abu YF, Singh S, Tao J, Chupikova I, Singh P, Meng J, Roy S. Opioid-induced dysbiosis of maternal gut microbiota during gestation alters offspring gut microbiota and pain sensitivity. Gut Microbes 2024; 16:2292224. [PMID: 38108125 PMCID: PMC10730209 DOI: 10.1080/19490976.2023.2292224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023] Open
Abstract
There has been a rapid increase in neonates born with a history of prenatal opioid exposure. How prenatal opioid exposure affects pain sensitivity in offspring is of interest, as this may perpetuate the opioid epidemic. While few studies have reported hypersensitivity to thermal pain, potential mechanisms have not been described. This study posits that alterations in the gut microbiome may underly hypersensitivity to pain in prenatally methadone-exposed 3-week-old male offspring, which were generated using a mouse model of prenatal methadone exposure. Fecal samples collected from dams and their offspring were subjected to 16s rRNA sequencing. Thermal and mechanical pain were assessed using the tail flick and Von Frey assays. Transcriptomic changes in whole brain samples of opioid or saline-exposed offspring were investigated using RNA-sequencing, and midbrain sections from these animals were subjected to qPCR profiling of genes related to neuropathic and inflammatory pain pathways. Prenatal methadone exposure increased sensitivity to thermal and mechanical pain and elevated serum levels of IL-17a. Taxonomical analysis revealed that prenatal methadone exposure resulted in significant alterations in fecal gut microbiota composition, including depletion of Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, and Lachnospiracea sp and increased relative abundance of Akkermansia, Clostridium sensu stricto 1, and Lachnoclostridium. Supplementation of the probiotic VSL#3 in dams rescued hypersensitivity to thermal and mechanical pain in prenatally methadone-exposed offspring. Similarly, cross-fostering prenatally methadone-exposed offspring to control dams also attenuated hypersensitivity to thermal pain in opioid-exposed offspring. Modulation of the maternal and neonatal gut microbiome with probiotics resulted in transcriptional changes in genes related to neuropathic and immune-related signaling in whole brain and midbrain samples of prenatally methadone-exposed offspring. Together, our work provides compelling evidence of the gut-brain-axis in mediating pain sensitivity in prenatally opioid-exposed offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaa F. Abu
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Salma Singh
- Department of Surgery, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Junyi Tao
- Department of Surgery, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
| | | | - Praveen Singh
- Department of Surgery, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Jingjing Meng
- Department of Surgery, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Sabita Roy
- Department of Surgery, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
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6
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Kolli U, Jalodia R, Moidunny S, Singh PK, Ban Y, Tao J, Cantu GN, Valdes E, Ramakrishnan S, Roy S. Multi-omics analysis revealing the interplay between gut microbiome and the host following opioid use. Gut Microbes 2023; 15:2246184. [PMID: 37610102 PMCID: PMC10448978 DOI: 10.1080/19490976.2023.2246184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Revised: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Opioid crisis is an ongoing epidemic since the past several decades in the United States. Opioid use-associated microbial dysbiosis is emerging as a key regulator of intestinal homeostasis and behavioral responses to opioid. However, the mechanistic insight into the role of microbial community in modulating host response is unavailable. To uncover the role of opioid-induced dysbiosis in disrupting intestinal homeostasis we utilized whole genome sequencing, untargeted metabolomics, and mRNA sequencing to identify changes in microbiome, metabolome, and host transcriptome respectively. Morphine treatment resulted in significant expansion of Parasuterella excrementihominis, Burkholderiales bacterium 1_1_47, Enterococcus faecalis, Enterorhabdus caecimuris and depletion of Lactobacillus johnsonii. These changes correlated with alterations in lipid metabolites and flavonoids. Significant alteration in microbial metabolism (metabolism of lipids, amino acids, vitamins and cofactors) and increased expression of virulence factors and biosynthesis of lipopolysaccharides (LPS) and lipoteichoic acid (LTA) were observed in microbiome of morphine-treated animals. In concurrence with changes in microbiome and metabolome extensive changes in innate and adaptive immune response, lipid metabolism, and gut barrier dysfunction were observed in the host transcriptome. Microbiome depleted mice displayed lower levels of inflammation, immune response and tissue destruction compared to mice harboring a dysbiotic microbiome in response to morphine treatment, thus establishing dysbiotic microbiome as mediator of morphine gut pathophysiology. Integrative analysis of multi-omics data highlighted the associations between Parasutterella excrementihominis, Burkholderiales bacterium 1_1_47, Enterococcus faecalis, Enterorhabdus caecimuris and altered levels of riboflavin, flavonoids, and lipid metabolites including phosphocholines, carnitines, bile acids, and ethanolamines with host gene expression changes involved in inflammation and barrier integrity of intestine. Omic analysis also highlighted the role of probiotic bacteria Lactobacillus johnsonii, metabolites flavonoids and riboflavin that were depleted with morphine as important factors for intestinal homeostasis. This study presents for the first time ever an interactive view of morphine-induced changes in microbial metabolism, strain level gut microbiome analysis and comprehensive view of changes in gut transcriptome. We also identified areas of potential therapeutic interventions to limit microbial dysbiosis and present a unique resource to the opioid research community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Udhghatri Kolli
- Department of Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Richa Jalodia
- Department of Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Shamsudheen Moidunny
- Department of Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Praveen Kumar Singh
- Department of Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Yuguang Ban
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Fl, USA
| | - Junyi Tao
- Department of Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | | | - Eridania Valdes
- Department of Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Sundaram Ramakrishnan
- Department of Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Sabita Roy
- Department of Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
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7
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Flores A, Nguyen NM, Pendyala G. Developmental outcomes with perinatal exposure (DOPE) to prescription opioids. NEUROIMMUNE PHARMACOLOGY AND THERAPEUTICS 2023; 2:339-351. [PMID: 38058996 PMCID: PMC10696573 DOI: 10.1515/nipt-2023-0017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023]
Abstract
Researchers have found considerable evidence in the past 20 years that perinatal opioid exposure leads to an increased risk of developmental disorders in offspring that persist into adulthood. The use of opioids to treat pain concerning pregnancy, delivery, and postpartum complications has been rising. As a result, communities have reported a 300-400 % increase in Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome (NOWS). NOWS represents the initial stage of several behavioral, phenotypic, and synaptic deficits. This review article summarizes the Developmental Outcomes of Perinatal Exposure (DOPE) to prescription opioids. Moreover, we also seek to connect these findings to clinical research that describes DOPE at multiple stages of life. Since specific mechanisms that underlie DOPE remain unclear, this article aims to provide a framework for conceptualizing across all ages and highlight the implications they may have for longevity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian Flores
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC), Omaha, NE, USA
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, UNMC, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Nghi M. Nguyen
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC), Omaha, NE, USA
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Anatomy, UNMC, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Gurudutt Pendyala
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC), Omaha, NE, USA
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Anatomy, UNMC, Omaha, NE, USA
- Child Health Research Institute, Omaha, NE, USA
- National Strategic Research Institute, UNMC, Omaha, NE, USA
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8
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Essmat N, Karádi DÁ, Zádor F, Király K, Fürst S, Al-Khrasani M. Insights into the Current and Possible Future Use of Opioid Antagonists in Relation to Opioid-Induced Constipation and Dysbiosis. Molecules 2023; 28:7766. [PMID: 38067494 PMCID: PMC10708112 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28237766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2023] [Revised: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Opioid receptor agonists, particularly those that activate µ-opioid receptors (MORs), are essential analgesic agents for acute or chronic mild to severe pain treatment. However, their use has raised concerns including, among others, intestinal dysbiosis. In addition, growing data on constipation-evoked intestinal dysbiosis have been reported. Opioid-induced constipation (OIC) creates an obstacle to continuing treatment with opioid analgesics. When non-opioid therapies fail to overcome the OIC, opioid antagonists with peripheral, fast first-pass metabolism, and gastrointestinal localized effects remain the drug of choice for OIC, which are discussed here. At first glance, their use seems to only be restricted to constipation, however, recent data on OIC-related dysbiosis and its contribution to the appearance of several opioid side effects has garnered a great of attention from researchers. Peripheral MORs have also been considered as a future target for opioid analgesics with limited central side effects. The properties of MOR antagonists counteracting OIC, and with limited influence on central and possibly peripheral MOR-mediated antinociception, will be highlighted. A new concept is also proposed for developing gut-selective MOR antagonists to treat or restore OIC while keeping peripheral antinociception unaffected. The impact of opioid antagonists on OIC in relation to changes in the gut microbiome is included.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nariman Essmat
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, Semmelweis University, Nagyvárad tér 4, H-1445 Budapest, Hungary; (N.E.); (D.Á.K.); (F.Z.); (K.K.); (S.F.)
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Zagazig University, Zagazig 44519, Egypt
| | - Dávid Árpád Karádi
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, Semmelweis University, Nagyvárad tér 4, H-1445 Budapest, Hungary; (N.E.); (D.Á.K.); (F.Z.); (K.K.); (S.F.)
| | - Ferenc Zádor
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, Semmelweis University, Nagyvárad tér 4, H-1445 Budapest, Hungary; (N.E.); (D.Á.K.); (F.Z.); (K.K.); (S.F.)
| | - Kornél Király
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, Semmelweis University, Nagyvárad tér 4, H-1445 Budapest, Hungary; (N.E.); (D.Á.K.); (F.Z.); (K.K.); (S.F.)
| | - Susanna Fürst
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, Semmelweis University, Nagyvárad tér 4, H-1445 Budapest, Hungary; (N.E.); (D.Á.K.); (F.Z.); (K.K.); (S.F.)
| | - Mahmoud Al-Khrasani
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, Semmelweis University, Nagyvárad tér 4, H-1445 Budapest, Hungary; (N.E.); (D.Á.K.); (F.Z.); (K.K.); (S.F.)
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9
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Abstract
This paper is the forty-fifth consecutive installment of the annual anthological review of research concerning the endogenous opioid system, summarizing articles published during 2022 that studied the behavioral effects of molecular, pharmacological and genetic manipulation of opioid peptides and receptors as well as effects of opioid/opiate agonists and antagonists. The review is subdivided into the following specific topics: molecular-biochemical effects and neurochemical localization studies of endogenous opioids and their receptors (1), the roles of these opioid peptides and receptors in pain and analgesia in animals (2) and humans (3), opioid-sensitive and opioid-insensitive effects of nonopioid analgesics (4), opioid peptide and receptor involvement in tolerance and dependence (5), stress and social status (6), learning and memory (7), eating and drinking (8), drug abuse and alcohol (9), sexual activity and hormones, pregnancy, development and endocrinology (10), mental illness and mood (11), seizures and neurologic disorders (12), electrical-related activity and neurophysiology (13), general activity and locomotion (14), gastrointestinal, renal and hepatic functions (15), cardiovascular responses (16), respiration and thermoregulation (17), and immunological responses (18).
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard J Bodnar
- Department of Psychology and Neuropsychology Doctoral Sub-Program, Queens College, City University of New York, Flushing, NY 11367, USA.
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10
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Harder HJ, Dauriat CJ, Chassaing B, Murphy AZ. Perinatal Morphine Exposure Induces Long-Term Changes in the Intestinal Microbiota of Male and Female Rats. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.09.20.558694. [PMID: 37790483 PMCID: PMC10542512 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.20.558694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
The increased use of opioids by women of reproductive age has resulted in a dramatic rise in number of infants exposed to opioids in utero. Although perinatal opioid exposure (POE) has been associated with an elevated risk of infection and hospitalization later in life, the mechanism(s) by which opioids influence immune development and maturation is not fully elucidated. Alterations in the intestinal microbiota composition, which leads to changes in immune training and maturation, could be at play. Chronic opioid use in adults is associated with a proinflammatory and pathogenic microbiota composition; therefore, we hypothesized here that in utero morphine exposure could negatively affect intestinal microbiota composition, leading to alterations in immune system function. We report that a clinically-relevant model of perinatal opioid exposure, in rats, induces profound intestinal microbiota dysbiosis that is maintained into adulthood. Furthermore, microbial maturity was reduced in morphine-exposed offspring. This suggests that increased risk of infection observed in children exposed to opioids during gestation may be a consequence of microbiota alterations with downstream impact on immune system development. Further investigation of how perinatal morphine induces dysbiosis will be critical to the development of early life interventions designed to ameliorate the increased risk of infection observed in these children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah J. Harder
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, 100 Piedmont Ave., Atlanta, GA, 30303
| | - Charlène J.G. Dauriat
- INSERM U1016, Team “Mucosal Microbiota in Chronic Inflammatory Diseases”, CNRS UMR 8104, Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Benoit Chassaing
- INSERM U1016, Team “Mucosal Microbiota in Chronic Inflammatory Diseases”, CNRS UMR 8104, Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Anne Z. Murphy
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, 100 Piedmont Ave., Atlanta, GA, 30303
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11
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Neonatal Morphine Results in Long-Lasting Alterations to the Gut Microbiome in Adolescence and Adulthood in a Murine Model. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:pharmaceutics14091879. [PMID: 36145627 PMCID: PMC9503694 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14091879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Revised: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 09/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite the many advancements in the field of pain management, the use of intravenous opioids, such as morphine, in neonates is still a challenge for clinicians and researchers, as the available evidence concerning the long-term consequences of such an early exposure is limited. In particular, little is known concerning the long-term consequences of neonatal morphine exposure on the gut microbiome, which has been identified as a key modulator of health and diseases. Consequently, the purpose of this study was to investigate those long-term consequences of neonatal morphine on the gut microbiome. Newborn mice were exposed to either morphine (5 mg/kg/day) or saline for a duration of 7 ± 2 days. Fecal samples were collected during adolescence and adulthood to longitudinally assess the gut microbiome. DNA extracted from the stool samples were sent out for 16s rRNA sequencing. During adolescence, neonatal morphine resulted in a significant increase of α-diversity and an overall decrease in the abundance of several commensal genera. During adulthood, β-diversity revealed a significantly different microbial composition of the neonatally morphine-exposed mice than that of the controls. The results demonstrate that morphine exposure during this critical developmental period resulted in long-lasting changes, particularly a reduction in several commensal bacteria. Thus, an adjunct therapeutic intervention with probiotics could potentially be used along with opioids to manage pain while attenuating the long-term co-morbidities of neonatal morphine later in life.
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Long-Term Effects of Developmental Exposure to Oxycodone on Gut Microbiota and Relationship to Adult Behaviors and Metabolism. mSystems 2022; 7:e0033622. [PMID: 35862801 PMCID: PMC9426609 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00336-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Opioid drugs are commonly prescribed analgesic to pregnant women. Direct exposure to such drugs may slow gut motility, alter gut permeability, and affect the gut microbiome. While such drugs affect gut microbiome in infants, no study to date has determined whether developmental exposure to such drugs results in longstanding effects on gut microbiota and correspondingly on host responses. We hypothesized developmental exposure to oxycodone (OXY) leads to enduring effects on gut microbiota and such changes are associated with adult neurobehavioral and metabolic changes. Female mice were treated daily with 5 mg OXY/kg or saline solution (control [CTL]) for 2 weeks prior to breeding and then throughout gestation. Male and female offspring pups were weaned, tested with a battery of behavioral and metabolic tests, and fecal boli were collected adulthood (120 days of age). In females, relative abundance of Butyricimonas spp., Bacteroidetes, Anaeroplasma spp., TM7, Enterococcus spp., and Clostridia were greater in OXY versus CTL individuals. In males, relative abundance of Coriobacteriaceae, Roseburia spp., Sutterella spp., and Clostridia were elevated in OXY exposed individuals. Bacterial changes were also associated with predictive metabolite pathway alterations that also varied according to sex. In males and females, affected gut microbiota correlated with metabolic but not behavioral alterations. The findings suggest that developmental exposure to OXY leads to lasting effects on adult gut microbiota that might affect host metabolism, possibly through specific bacterial metabolites or other bacterial-derived products. Further work is needed to characterize how developmental exposure to OXY affects host responses through the gut microbiome. IMPORTANCE This is the first work to show in a rodent model that in utero exposure to an opioid drug can lead to longstanding effects on the gut microbiota when examined at adulthood. Further, such bacterial changes are associated with metabolic host responses. Given the similarities between rodent and human microbiomes, it raises cause for concern that similar effects may become evident in children born to mothers taking oxycodone and other opioid drugs.
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